How to Keep Your Emails Out of the Spam Folder

If you’re reading this, you probably want to land in your customers’ inboxes—not in the dreaded spam folder. The good news is you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through simple tips to improve your email deliverability, meaning your emails get where they’re supposed to go.

For expert help with email deliverability, call us at at +1 307-271-5184 or visit Abervin Digital.

The Power of Email Marketing

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to reach customers. It’s like having a direct line to their attention. In fact, email marketing generated nearly $10 billion globally in 2022 and is expected to exceed $12 billion in 2023.

However, success in email marketing doesn’t happen overnight. It’s like building a strong relationship—it takes time, effort, and consistency. Your emails need to be relevant, well-timed, and personalized to stand out. Plus, you’ve got to make sure your emails aren’t getting lost in the spam folder. That’s where good email deliverability comes in.

What Is Email Deliverability?

Think of email deliverability like sending a letter. It’s not enough to get the letter to the mailbox (that’s delivery). You want to make sure it gets into the right hands—your recipient’s inbox (that’s deliverability). Poor deliverability is like your letter getting tossed into the junk pile before anyone even reads it.

There are several factors that can hurt your email deliverability, but we’ll show you how to avoid them.

5 Things That Can Hurt Your Email Deliverability

1. Suppressed Emails in Your Outbox: Imagine sending a letter to someone who’s moved away—no one’s there to receive it. When people unsubscribe or revoke consent, email providers suppress emails sent to them. Keep your list clean by removing these addresses regularly.
   
   
2. Bounced Emails: A bounced email is like a letter sent to a wrong or non-existent address. Emails can “bounce” if the address is invalid (hard bounce) or if there’s a temporary issue like a full inbox (soft bounce). Prevent bounces by checking addresses before sending.
   
   
3. Emails Caught in the Spam Filter: Spam filters act like bouncers at a club—they block shady-looking emails from entering. Low sender reputation, spammy content, or being flagged by recipients can trigger these filters. Avoid this by keeping your emails clean and professional.
   
   
4. Emails That Don’t Get Opened: Even if your email lands in the inbox, the battle isn’t over. If recipients don’t open your emails, it’s like sending an invitation that never gets read. Make your subject lines enticing and relevant to increase open rates.
   
   
5. Emails That Don’t Get Engaged With: Just like an ignored conversation, if people don’t click or respond to your emails, it hurts your future deliverability. Positive actions, like clicking links, improve your reputation, while negative actions, like ignoring or marking as spam, can hurt you.
   

4 Key Factors That Affect Your Email Deliverability Reputation

1. Sending Domain Reputation: This is like your email’s street cred. If you get a lot of spam complaints or aren’t properly authenticated (using DKIM, for example), email providers might start flagging you.
   
   
2. Sender’s IP Reputation: If you’re sharing an IP address with other businesses, their behavior can impact your deliverability. If they’re sending spam, it’s like having a bad neighbor. Consider using a dedicated IP if you send a lot of emails.
   
   
3. ‘From’ Address Reputation: The email address you’re sending from matters. Keep it consistent, so your recipients recognize and trust it.
   
   
4. Spam Trigger Words: Just like certain phrases can raise suspicion in conversations, some words in your emails can trigger spam filters. Avoid overly promotional language like “free,” “urgent,” or “limited-time offer.”
   
   

11 Best Practices to Improve Your Email Deliverability

1. Identify Engaged Customers and Clean Your List Regularly: Just like a party guest list, you don’t want people who aren’t interested anymore. Remove inactive users so you don’t get flagged as spam.
   
   
2. Optimize Your Email Content: Keep a good balance of text and images, avoid cluttered code, and always include an easy-to-find unsubscribe button. Think of your email like a well-organized flyer—clear and to the point.
   
   
3. Encourage Replies: A simple way to boost deliverability is by getting people to respond. Ask questions, offer feedback opportunities, or provide discounts that encourage replies.
   
   
4. Use a Dedicated Sending IP: If you send a high volume of emails, consider using a dedicated IP to improve your deliverability. Make sure it’s set up properly with protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
   
   
5. Set Up BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification): This is like putting your logo on your emails—it builds trust and improves engagement by showing your brand’s identity.
   
   
6. Consider Double Opt-In: When someone signs up for your emails, send them a confirmation email to make sure they’re really interested. It’s like making sure a party guest actually wants to attend before you count them in.
   
   
7. Make It Easy to Unsubscribe: If people don’t want to hear from you anymore, don’t make it hard for them to leave. Clear unsubscribe options reduce the chance of being marked as spam.
   
   
8. Keep Your Segmentation Fresh: Don’t send the same email to everyone. Segment your list based on interests and engagement levels to keep emails relevant.
   
   
9. Stick to a Sending Schedule: Just like too many texts from a friend can be annoying, too many emails can cause fatigue. Find a schedule that works and stick to it.
   
   
10. Develop a Sunset Strategy: If someone hasn’t engaged with your emails in a while, send them a final “sunset” email before removing them from your list.
    
    
11. Monitor Your Metrics: Keep an eye on open rates, click rates, bounce rates, and unsubscribes to see how your emails are performing and make adjustments where needed.
    
    

Deliverability: Dot Your I’s and Cross Your T’s

Improving your email deliverability takes some effort, but it’s worth it. And if this sounds like a lot to handle, you can always hire an expert to do the heavy lifting for you.

For expert guidance with your email marketing, contact Abervin Digital at +1 307-271-5184 or visit Abervin Digital to check out our pricing and packages.